Vehicle front-wheel brake



June 51:0, 1924.

G. D. HUGO VEHICLE FRONT WHEEL BRAKE led swmmnuuu Patented June l0,1924.

UNITED STATES GEORGE D. HUGO, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

VEHICLE FRONT-WHEEL BRAKE.

Application filed IVI-ay 7, 1923. Serial No. 637,264.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D. HUGO, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Seattle, county of King, State oflllashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVehicle Front- VVheel Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle braking mechanisms,and more particularly to braking mechanism for the frnnt or steeringwheels of automobiles, trucks, trailers and other vehicles that use theknuckle type of axles for mounting such wheels.

The principal object of this invention is to provide braking mechanismfor the steering wheels of motor vehicles of the above character, thatmay be actuated at any time regardless of the position assumed by thewheels in steering.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of brakingmechanism in such associated relation with the pivoted wheel supportingvknuckles, that steering movement of the knuckles has no effect on thebraking Aaction or relative position of the parts of the brakingmechanism/ Another object resides in the provision of braking mechanismembodying floating type brake shoes and with double action brakingmeans.

Other objects reside in the various details of construction of 'theparts, whereby assembling or disassembling is facilitated, wherebyconstruction costs are reduced to a minimum and whereby a'brakeassembly, that is durable, reliable and of great efiiciency, isprovided.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms ofwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional view centrally through a wheelequipped with braking mechanism in accordance with the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is an inside elevationof the wheel, the knuckle, the brakedrum, and braking members; parts being broken away for betterillustration.

Figure 3 is an edge View of the brake drum cover used in the preferredform of construction.

Figure 4 shows the cam actuating shaft in elevation and in end view.

n Figure 5 shows the steering knuckle pin 1n elevation and in end View.

Figure 6 is a side view of the cam lever of the preferred construction.

Figure 7 is a vertical section of an alternative construction.

Figure 8 is a side and an end view of a steering knuckle pin for thealternative construction.

Figure 9 is a cam lever used in the alternative construction.

The present invention relates particularly to braking mechanism of thattype of construction adapted for use in Connection with the front, orsteering, wheels of automobiles and similar vehicles, wherein eachsteering wheel is mounted rotatably on a spindle 1 that is extendedhorizontally from and which forms a part of a steering knuckle 2 that ispivotally mounted at one end of the axle 3; the said knuckle beingprovided also with upper and lower bosses 4 and 5 respec-` movement orrotation by means of a key or pin 11 that extends in interlockingrelation through the parts.

The wheel, which is herein illustrated, comprises a h-ub portion 12provided with an annular flange 13 to which, on inner and outer facesrespectively, are secured an inwardly opening brake drum 14 Yand a wheelbody disk 15; the securing means consisting of a plurality of bolts 16extended through these parts. The body 4disk 15 supports a rim 17,whereon a tire 18 is mounted. This particular construction has beenillustrated because it is best suited to a brake assembly of the presenttype, but it is to be understood, that the braking mechanism can beapplied to wheels of spoke, disk or other types of construction withsatisfactory results.

Fitted about the spindle 1 and against the outer face of the steeringknuckle flange 6, to which it is secured by means of a plurality ofrivets, or studs 20, is the drum cover p1ate21, Vwhich is lprovidedadjacent-its upper and lower edges, as is best shown in Figthat thedisplacement of these cams upon actuation of the cam lever 43 will causea swinging movement of the arms 24 and 25, whereby the shafts 29 arerotated and the brake shoes are moved into braking contact with thedrum. The adjusting bolts 48-48 provide for the taking u of wear of thebraking surfaces, so that t e braking action will take immediate effectand any lost motion between the cam lever and braking 70 members may beeliminated.

For urposes of lubrication, the boss 4 is providedvwith anopening 50 inregistration with a hole through the pin l and the shaft 40 is groovedor flattened longitudinally so that the lubricant will be distributed toits opposite ends and tothe cam surfaces. The cams are provided withcover plates 51-52, whereby the lubricant is retained, and which servealso as bearing plates, against which` the adjusting screws 48,-48 efthe brake arnis rest. The pin l0 is also grooved exteriorly to receiveand distribute the lubricant for its bearing surfaces within the bosses4 and 5.

In Figure 7 I have illustrated an alternative construction, wherein thebrake drum is equipped with a cover plate 55 that. is formed integralwith a knuckle Q, and wherein the brake shoes, which may be ofthevch'aracter previously described, are 'expanded by upward swingingmovement of both of the actuating arms 24 and 25.

ln this construction. the knuckle pin is pivotally supported on ,atubular steering knuckle pin l0 that is fixed within the aXle and whichis provided at its upperend onlywith a cam surface G. An actuating"shaft 40 extends slidably through the knuckle .pin l0 and at its upperend has a cam lever 43 mounted thereon, said lever ure 1, with inwardlydepressed pockets 22 and 23 wherein the inner ends of upper and 5 lowervertically movable brake actuating arms 24 -and 25 are disposed forpivotal movement.

Located within the drum 14 at opposite sides `ofthe spindle are brakeshoes S26-26 provided at upper and lower ends with in Wardly openingsockets 27, see Figure 2, wherein the rounded vends 28 of squared camA,operatingshafts 29 `are slidably contained; the said shafts beingextended horizontally through openings .30 in the vopposite side .wallsof pockets 22 and and witliinthe pockets have the actuating arms `24and25 mounted thereon. ,Slidably `fitted on the shafts 29, at theoutersides of the pockets ers vcams 34,-#34 yengaging with cams 35,35formed on the ends of the brake shoes; fthe cam arrangement being suchthat upward and downward movement of the larms 24and 25 respectivelywill effect eX- 2Vpanding `movement of the brake shoes zagainst thedrum. The brakeshoes 26-26 aaenonnected `by springs 36, whereby they'arenormally held disengaged from the drum -andfwhereby thecam surfacesare heldeoin- Y 30 cident. Y

,.By mounting the expanding cams slidably onshafts 29, .can automaticbalancing, or equalization, of braking forces is provided for,:sincethispermits a reaction of the braking forces` :fromone shoe to the other. ItY also provides for horizontal ,expanding movementtof the shoes, wherebytheir entire j braking surfaces Varvehbrought simultaneously intoperfect contact with the druinsurface, l0 V,thereby insuringeven wear atall points.

`'Contained within `the tubular steering knuckle pin l0 is a float-ing,cam actuating .shaft 4Q, having squared upper and lower ends 41 and 42extended beyond the 4ends of 45 pin l0. LSlidably mounted on thesesquared ends, respectively is a brake operatingcam lever-43 and a cani`44 having surfaces that are coincident with cam surfaces 45H46, seeFigure 5formed 'at the opposite ends of the 50 knuckle pin. The lever 43may be connected with any suitable brake actuating mechanism, not shown,whereby it may be moved rotatably on its support to thereby rotate theshaft 40 and etl'ect a rising movement of the-cam lever I43 andadownward movement of cam 44 incident to their adjustment on Athe camsurfaces at the `ends of theknuckle pin-10.

Y Theivertieally swinging ends of thebrake "-ri'f arms 24 and 25 extendto points substantial- 55 spectively of the cam lever 43 and cam 44, so

having a cam surface 57 coincident with cam surface 56, whereby,movement ot the lever by a connection with a. brake actuating means, notshown, will cause the shaft 40 to be raised. gages with the upper end ofa shaft 40 and the y.arm 25 has an opening through which the lower cudof the shaft extends and at its end is seated against a nut 58threadedadjustably on the shaft. Upward movement of the shaft 40 causes upwardswinging of the brake arms 24-25 and the actuation of the brake shoesintobraking contact with the drum.

lith the braking mechanism so constructed. and assembled, itis readilyapparent that, since the only points of connection, or Contact, of thebraking partsvcarried by the knuckle and the actuating means carried bythe axle, .lie within the axial line of the steering knuckle pin and itscontained shaft, and are not fixed connections, steering movement of thewheels will not change the relative location of braking rllhe outer endof arm 24 en-A lill members, and they can be actuated regardless of theposition of the wheel in steering.'

It is also apparent that the double brake actuating means makes possiblethe use of floating type of shoes, whereby equalization of the brakingforces is automatically maintained, and whereby the shoes may be movedso that their entire braking surfaces will be brought into brakingcontact with the drum with `an equal pressurey at all points.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new therein anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l.. he combination with an axle a steering knuckle, a wheel rotatablymounted by the knuckle having a brake drum thereon and braking memberscarried by the knuckle in co-operative relation with the drum, of amember fixed in the axle to pivotally support the knuckle and having acam surface, a brake operating member dis` posed upon said cam surface,an actuating arm operatively connected with the braking members andengaging said brake operating member and operable incidental to movementof the brake operating member' with respect to the cam surface.

2. The combination with an axle, a steer-- ing knuckle, a wheelrotatably mounted by the knuckle having a brake drum thereon and brakingmembers supported from the knuckle in co-operative relation with thedrum, of a knuckle mounting member fixed in the axle having an endprovided with a cam surface, an actuating arm operatively connected withSaid braking members and extended within the axial line of the knucklemounting member and a brake actuating lever mounted for pivotal movementupon said cam surface whereby such movement effects functional movementofthe brake arm.

3. The combination with a fixed axle, a steering knuckle with itsassociated spindle, a wheel hub mounted on the spindle, a brake drumrotatable vith the hub and braking members carried by the knuckle, of atubular pin fixed within the axle and pivotallyv supporting the knuckleand having cam surface at one end, a shaft within said pin and extendingfrom the end thereof, a cam lever mounted on said shaft and having a camsurface coincident with the cam surface of the pin, and a brakeactuating arm operatively connected with the braking members and adaptedto be ac tuated by rising movement of the cani lever incident to itsladjustment relative to the fixed cam.

4. The combination with a fixed axle, a steering knuckle with itsassociated spindie, a wheel hub mounted on the spindle, a brake drumrotatable with the hub and vbraking members carrie-d by the knuckle,

of a tubular pin fixed within the axle and -pivotally supporting theknuckle, cams formed at the ends of said tubular pin, a shaft containedwithin the pin and extended from the ends thereof, cams slidably mountedon the ends of said shaft coincident with the cams at the ends of thepin; one of said cams having an actuating lever and brakeactuating armsoperatively connected with the braking members and operable by risingmovement of the cams incident to their rotative movement, 'relative tothe fixed cams, by adjustment of the cam actuating lever.

5. The combination with an axle, a steering knuckle with its associatedspindle, a wheel hub mounted on the spindle, a brake drum rotatable withthe hub and braking shoes supported from the knuckle, of a tubularknuckle mounting pin fixed within the axle and having cams at itsopposite ends, a floating shaft contained within the tubular pin andhaving squared ends extended from the ends of the pin, cams slidablymounted on said squared ends and coincident with the cams at the ends ofthe knuckle pin, an actuating lever for moving said shaft to cause arising movement of the cams on the squared ends thereof, and actuatingarms for the brake shoes extended into position to be engaged andactuated by the rising movement of said cams.

6. The combination wit-h an axle, a pivotally mounted steering knucklewith its associated spindle, a wheel hub rotatable on the spindle, abrake drum on the hub, a drum cover plate fixed to the knuckle andpaired brake shoes supported from the cover plate at opposite sides ofthe spindle within the drum, of a pair of brake actuating arms pivotallymounted in the cover plate and extended inwardly to swing in a verticalplane perpendicular to the plane of the drum cover, a pin pivotallymounting the knuckle having cams at its ends, movable cams coincidentwith the first named cams, and having operative connection with saidbrake actuating arms, and means for rotating the movable cams to effectactuation of said brake arms.

7. The combination with a fixed axle, a steering knuckle with itsassociated spindle, a wheel hub mounted on the spindle, a brake drumrotatable with the hub and braking members carried by the knuckle, of atubular pin fixed within the axle and pivotally supporting the knuckle,cams formed at the ends of said tubular pin, a shaft contained withinthe pin and extended from the ends thereof, cams slidably mounted at theends of said shaft coincident with the cams at the ends of the pin;means for rotating said shaft to effect rotation of said cams, brakeactuating arms operatively connected with the braking members andoperable by rising movementI yof the cams incident to their rotativemovement relative to the fixed cams, by adjustment of the cam actuatingmeans and an adjustable connect-ion between said slidable mounted camsand the brake actuating arms.

8. The combination with an axle, a steer ing knuckle With its associatedspindle, a wheel hub mounted on the spindle, a brake drum rotatable withthe hub and braking shoes supported from the knuckle, of a tubularknuckle mounting pin fixed Within the axle and having cams at itsopposite ends, a floating shaft contained Within the tubular pin andhaving squared ends extended from the -ends yoi' the pin, cams slidablymounted on said squared ends and coincident With the cams at the ends ofthe knuckle pin, an actuating lever for moving said shaft to cause arising movement of the cams on .the squared ends thereof, and swinginglymovable actuating arms for the brake shoes extended into alinement Withthe knuckle pin and adjusting bolts threaded through the ends of saidarms and engaging the movable cams, whereby rising movement of the*teams will actuate said arms.

Signed at Seattle, 7Wash., this 17 day of April 1923.

. GEORGE D. HUGO.

